


not a trace of doubt in my mind

by ElasticElla



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Fluff, Implied Relationships, Light Angst, M/M, Time Loop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-27 03:33:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16210553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElasticElla/pseuds/ElasticElla
Summary: There is some fucked up magic going on at Buzzfeed. Shane hates everything about that sentence- that magic is real, that magic is real and going on at his place of work.





	not a trace of doubt in my mind

**Author's Note:**

  * For [voidbee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/voidbee/gifts).



> i'm pretending the test friends happened when they were all interns and the try guys started later because lol time what
> 
> i haven't used smash mouth's i'm a believer for a title yet so heh, here we are peeps

There is some fucked up magic going on at Buzzfeed. Shane hates everything about that sentence- that magic is real, that magic is real and going on at his place of work. He wasn’t supposed to become proof of the supernatural or whatever, exhibit a, an oversized man that keeps gettin’ plopped back into his first day of work body.

This definitely isn’t the afterlife, this is the thirty-fourth version of this life. Shane isn’t sure why he’s reborn on this day, but he isn’t about to complain about it. Retaining his memories is the gift that keeps on giving, and for today only- he has the winning lottery numbers. (Something about decision theory means the world splinters dramatically after today.) ((Thirty-two treasure hunts into Fenn’s forest of fraudulent fibs has him convinced the only ‘treasure’ to be found is the joy of nature.))

No one else remembers, and it’s the one secret he keeps.

Well, that and all the little things he picks up from his previous lives. Dating feels creepy fast, like he shouldn’t know so much already, would be super weirded out if some rando dude hitting on him knew all of his life’s ambitions before he even knew his last name. Friends are more chill though, don’t feel like he’s taking advantage of past knowledge. Like how Jen’s ‘cute nostalgic’ collection of beanie babies will likely grow to over a few thousand, or that one day Steven really will have a gold-plated toilet. 

Sometimes his mind won’t shut up about fun new things his last life just learned. 

Like how he finally got Ryan to join the Try Guys after four attempts- the trick was smply daring him to do the women’s underwear video- wanted to see his favorite scaredy-cat surviving in the woods alone and swimming with sharks. And while that did happen, their videos are the most consistent of any group’s over lives, he also saw Ryan in more booty shorts than his brain can process and making out with Eugene. (Luckily he was slated to be on a week long trip with the Worth It crew, could not have looked at either of them without turning bright red and a sign popping up on his forehead reading _your pervert friend is responsible for 58 views_.) 

It was the first life without Unsolved, and Shane missed his ghoulfriend more than Ryan could comprehend. (More than he’d let him comprehend to be more honest.) Ruining History became a bigger show, Kelsey D and Justin slotting in as the two regulars. They were pretty open with their on-again off-again dating, which the fans ate up. And one eventful weekend, Justin and Kelsey invited him into their bed and maybe if things were different he would have stayed longer. (If it was his first life, if he could commit without feeling guilty about the secret, if, if, if-.)

The point, the problem, is Ryan came out to him- to the world really- with a sickeningly sweet video featuring his new fiance Zack. Ryan, who had never so much as hinted liking dudes for the previous thirty-two lives, was marrying his best bro. And Shane was jealous, long past the point of reason. He hadn’t been like this when Ryan married Helen or Quinta or even Sara. He’d been happy for each of them, wasn’t pining away like some tragic romcom lead. (Of course, he didn’t know it was possible back then, may have gotten deep into some petty dramatics otherwise.) 

He’s not gonna be weird about it now though, this is a new Ryan. He’s just also not going to dare him into women’s underwear. (And yeah, okay, phrased like that the jealousy really should have been unsurprising.)

So this time, when Ryan wraps up his pitch, all nervous and excited energy, asking the room, “Who wants to catch some ghosts?” 

Shane doesn’t keep his snort internal. Half the room turns to him, and he shrugs, “It’s a great idea but either there’s gonna be some creative editing or after a dozen episodes, it’s going to be very obvious there is no monster under the bed.” 

Ryan’s eyebrows pop up, his disbelief authentic and Shane has never been so glad the Test Friends didn’t do anything spooky. “You think there’s zero chance of anything supernatural being caught on film?” 

Shane smirks, “It’s extremely implausible. Think how many people have died, if ghosts are real wouldn’t this room be stuffed full of them? Wouldn’t one of them be mad enough to pop my head off for talking blasphemy?” 

About half the room is now looking at Shane like he’s certifiably insane and the other half is amused. Ryan crosses his arms, “Most people move on, only those with unfinished business stick around. And they haunt places that matter to them, not random office buildings.” 

Shane whistles low, “So they can’t even float on a vacation? Hit up Boo-ra Boo-ra?”

There’s a few chuckles around the room, and Ryan’s eyes light up as he turns to the woman in charge, Megan. He’d almost forgotten that the audience mattered this time, slipping into their familiar back and forth. 

“I want Shane.” 

An embarrassing amount of arousal shoots through him at the words, blood pounding in his ears and he forces himself to focus back in. “-skeptic and believer dynamic.”

Megan looks up from her laptop, “While I agree, Shane your history project decision was reversed. Which would you rather work on?”

…that’s new. Even last time when Unsolved faded after a few episodes, Ruining History never started early. Certainly not on his first day-

“Shane?” 

He blinks, and Ryan has his trying not to look disappointed face on and Megan’s glancing at the clock. “Right, sorry. Yeah, let’s go ghosts.” 

“Okay. Next pitch- Quinta.” 

Ryan’s grin is taking over his face, and fuck he’s missed him. Shane doesn’t really listen to rest of the pitches, he’s heard them all before and he’s impatient for this to be over. (A snarky voice in the back of his head makes a comment about spending _one_ life without Ryan at his side, and fuck that voice.)

Ryan waits until the meeting’s over for ambushing, and Shane walks far enough away from the group that they won’t be easily overheard. 

“Dude, you didn’t have to do that.” 

“Getting paid to film empty houses? It’s gonna be the easiest paycheck I ever earned.” 

Ryan lightly punches his shoulder, “Really, I heard you talking to Jen about it. Your history show sounds cool, I don’t want you to miss out on it- I can find another skeptic.” 

“History isn’t gonna disappear. Now those ghosts of yours on the other hand…” 

“Shut up Shane,” Ryan snaps, a faint blush on his cheeks. “Let me buy you a beer later.” 

“Sure,” he says, and just like that the ghoulboys are back. 

(Magic might be real, or whatever is causing the universe to glitch out, but thirty-two lives devoid of ghosts point to a pretty obvious answer.)

.

He wins the state lottery, goes all out with the five numbers and the mega because he’s feeling it. Four hundred and thirty million dollars feeling it. He does opt out of an interview, doesn’t wanna overshadow Ryan again or get murdered so early on. It takes a few weeks before his claim form is processed, and longer for the money to come in. It’s easy enough to dole out- a hundred million to his family, a hundred million to save, around fifty thousand to finally pay off those pesky student loans, and the rest to charities. Not just for tax reasons as he jokes when asked, but to keep himself in check. He can’t forget this world is real- these people are real- no matter how much his life is feeling like a video game with cheat codes. (And on a selfish note, he’s really hoping the SunIsLife group takes off faster this time. They’re projected to create actual rocket boots for short-range space travel- the moon and back- once they cover three percent of the Sahara desert with solar panels. So far, they’ve only gotten to two percent- which is still a world completely powered by the sun- before he resets.) 

Shane knows he’ll regret it, but he buys a spirit box and a teddy bear with an emf reader in it. The next place they’re investigating is new to both of them, an abandoned factory recommended by Eugene. Morning of, he presents the two toys to Ryan, who inspects them suspiciously. 

“Is this a prank?”

“What?”

“Do these even work?” Ryan asks, turning the spirit box on. It wails loudly and flickers though stations quickly, Shane wincing. Luckily the parking lot outside his place is deserted at eleven in the morning. 

“Yes, jeez what kinda cohost do you take me for?”

Ryan shuts it off, “I have plenty of footage to support my claim buddy. Shit, how’d you pay for this?” 

“Lottery,” Shane deadpans as they get in Ryan’s car, emf bear and spirit box going in the backseat. 

Ryan laughs, “Yeah right, and you’re still working at the feed for kicks. You can buy dinner tonight then.” 

“Sure, can’t have my favorite ghost hunter go hungry.” 

Ryan shakes his head, smiling as he pulls onto the road, “Yeah, and while you’re at it, let’s get an Unsolved mascot.” 

Shane groans, “No.” 

“Why not? What about a cute little-”

“ _Not_ a chinchilla!” 

Ryan’s eyebrows pop up, “I was gonna say puppy, but I suddenly want a chinchilla. Or at least the story behind that.”

“They’re messy,” Shane starts, raising a finger per reason. “They throw their poop, they don’t even cuddle that much, they just taunt you with their fluffiness.”

Ryan laughs, slapping the steering wheel. “Did your brother have one growing up?”

“Nah, uh, college kid in my dorm,” Shane fibs. “And the rodent _smelled_.” 

“Shit, we got in trouble for smuggling in a goldfish and you guys had fuckin’ exotic pets.” 

Shane shrugs, “So a puppy?” 

Ryan grins, “Yeah! Think we’d get in trouble if we named him Scooby-Doo?” 

“We’d have to look up the public domain, or name him Scrappy-Doo. No one cares about that runt.”

Ryan wheezes, “We’re not- fuck- we’re _not_ naming our dog after Scrappy.” 

Shane wriggles his eyebrows, “You don’t think he’d need to be a little scrappy to deal with ghosts and ghouls?” 

“I hate you.” 

Shane nods, stroking his stubble, “They say if there’s hate in a relationship, just add kids. Or pets.” 

“Stop it!” Ryan laughs. “We did a case where a dude murdered his whole family, you’re so lucky we’re not filming.” 

“Are you saying you’d murder Scrappy?” Shane asks, faking a gasp. 

“No, I would not murder our dog-” 

“Great! So we can name him Scrappy.” 

“You know what? _Sure_. If you can find a dog that looks like that ridiculous cartoon, fine. Otherwise I get naming rights.” 

Shane grins, opening up his phone, “Deal.” 

“Since tragically no real dog looks like that, we’ll be going with a more classic name. Like Jordan. Or-”

“Found one,” Shane interrupts. 

“Are you fucking kidding me?” 

They hit a red light, and he shows Ryan the picture of ‘Bobby’ a great dane-chihuahua mix. Ryan’s completely gobsmacked, and Shane continues with a grin, “He’s up for adoption only twenty minutes from the motel the crew’s staying at. It’s fate Ryan.” 

Ryan sighs, “He is cute.” 

Shane switches their gps to the adoption center, whistling. 

Ryan’s eyes cut over to him briefly before he takes a turn, “Do you uh, actually believe in fate?” 

“Nope. Ya gotta go out there and get what you want. Whether fate’s real or not is inconsequential, believing in it- relying on it- it makes you lazy and more likely to miss out on stuff.” 

His second life had been an absolute mess because of that, and he tries not to forget the lessons learned there but also not to dwell on it. “Huh,” Ryan murmurs, pulling into the breakdown lane and stopping. 

Shane’s eyebrows come together, “What’s up?” 

“I might be reading this wrong, but fuck it,” Ryan says, leaning across before Shane can process the words and kissing him. Shane kisses him back after a moment, lips probably moving too fast to make up for the pause. Ryan tastes like echoes of his mint toothpaste and something chocolaty that he must have eaten before picking him up. 

His brain still hasn’t bounced back yet, when Ryan’s pulling away for air with a grin. “Cool.” 

“That wasn’t the plan at all,” Shane says, thumbing over Ryan’s jaw. 

Ryan laughs, presses into his hand. “Alright, what was it?”

“Y’know do some sexy videos, gently tease the idea of us for a few years, maybe move in together and then it’s like we’re already married and those tax benefits.” 

Ryan grins, “You fuckin’ dork.”

“Yeah, c’mere,” Shane says, pulling Ryan into his lap and kissing him again. Slower this time, and then nibbling down his neck, delighting in the small noises Ryan makes, squirming in his lap. 

“God, I’ve wanted you for so long,” Ryan murmurs. 

And Shane wants to laugh and cry at once, squeezes his hips, “Me too baby, you have no idea.”

(And he will tell him, just… not today. Today’s only for happiness, for new beginnings and a Scrappy-Doo on the way.)

**Author's Note:**

> for the curious [here](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/86/27/6f/86276f7afe7b25e96c8a48c6f372077c.jpg) is a great dane-chihuahua mix, though i'm imagining a darker coat that's the build 
> 
> come say hi on [tumblr \o/](http://lesbiancleophas.tumblr.com/)


End file.
